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The U.S. Department of Labor on Monday announced the publication of Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) 16-20 providing guidance to states for implementation of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.

Under the assistance program, people who do not qualify for regular unemployment compensation and are unable to continue working as a result of COVID-19 including self-employed workers, independent contractors, and gig workers, are eligible for benefits.

This provision is contained in Section 2102 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted on March 27, 2020.

The assistance program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits to qualifying people otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of applicable state law, except that they are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons, as defined in the CARES Act.

Benefit payments under the program are retroactive, for weeks of unemployment, partial employment, or inability to work due to COVID-19 reasons starting on or after Jan. 27, 2020. The CARES Act specifies that assistance program benefits cannot be paid for weeks of unemployment ending after Dec. 31, 2020.

Eligibility for it includes people not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended benefits under state or federal law or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation, including those who have exhausted all rights to such benefits.

Covered individuals also include self-employed individuals, those seeking part-time employment, and individuals lacking sufficient work history.

Depending on state law, covered people may also include clergy and those working for religious organizations who are not covered by regular unemployment compensation.

The Unemployment Insurance Program Letter also includes guidance to states about protecting unemployment insurance program integrity. The department, officials said, is actively working with states to provide benefits only to those who qualify for such benefits.

The coronavirus is a pandemic that continues to impact life in Tennessee in a variety of ways. The USA Today Network newsrooms in Tennessee are uniquely positioned to cover this crisis. We're providing this critical information for free. To support our mission, please consider a subscription. For more information on COVID-19, please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.